He wondered if killing Nezuko would count as mission failure, allowing him to return.
The instant Ryu Takeno revealed killing intent, a chill shot from Giyu Tomioka's feet to his head; his back grew cold, his hair stood on end, his muscles trembled.
Killing intent—a terrifying aura he'd never felt before. Horrifying hallucinations filled his eyes; he saw his own death.
He couldn't win; he would die!
His instincts screamed at him to flee, like a rabbit encountering a wolf—only escape was possible, not a counterattack.
"Shadow Magic: Shadow Demon."
Giyu Tomioka, about to flee with Nezuko, was seized by his own shadow.
"Blood Demon Art! You're a demon?! Could you be…?!" Such power made Giyu Tomioka think of the Twelve Kizuki, or perhaps even Muzan Kibutsuji himself!
Only demons could use such unnatural abilities.
"Demon?"
Ryu Takeno scoffed, as if disgusted.
"Don't compare me to such trash. Creatures that fear the light are nothing like me. Release the girl, and I'll let you go."
Having become a demon less than a year ago, his humanity hadn't been completely erased. He couldn't bring himself to kill Nezuko.
Killing an innocent girl was something he couldn't do.
Didn't the contract say saving Nezuko fulfilled the mission? If Giyu Tomioka released Nezuko, the mission should be complete.
"Impossible! I won't spare any demon! Since joining the Demon Slayer Corps, I've prepared to sacrifice myself!"
Giyu Tomioka, resolute, raised his Nichirin sword towards Nezuko.
"You have principles. Too bad you're too weak and slow." Ryu Takeno beckoned; his shadow enveloped Giyu Tomioka, restricting his movement.
Shadow Magic was Ryu Takeno's first magic, and the one he'd studied most.
As he'd guessed, leaving his original world removed 'd's system's influence; the enhanced abilities were gone. To use magic, he had to construct the magic circles himself.
If he'd relied on the system, he might have forgotten how to construct magic circles; without the system, he couldn't even use magic.
Ryu Takeno approached Giyu Tomioka, not only to save Nezuko but also drawn to something on Giyu Tomioka.
But Tanjiro was faster, rushing in front of Giyu Tomioka.
He pried at Giyu Tomioka's hand, trying to save his sister.
Even bound, Giyu Tomioka wouldn't let go. In his mind, demons, even family, must be killed.
Demons lacked reason and morality.
To protect the bereaved youth, even if it meant being seen as a villain, he couldn't let the demon harm others.
But…
Giyu Tomioka noticed Nezuko wasn't struggling violently; she was trembling, as if… afraid!
What was she afraid of?
She hadn't shown fear even facing a Demon Slayer.
As the mysterious red-haired youth approached, Nezuko trembled more violently; she feared him.
"I'll do it."
Seeing Tanjiro couldn't pry Giyu Tomioka's hand open, Ryu Takeno stepped forward, grabbed Giyu Tomioka's wrist, and with a "snap," broke his arm, taking his Nichirin sword.
Ah this…!!
Tanjiro was shocked by Ryu Takeno's brutal efficiency.
Even if he couldn't pry Giyu Tomioka's hand open, he'd never considered breaking his arm.
Freed, Nezuko didn't attack Tanjiro or Giyu Tomioka; she tried to flee. Ryu Takeno quickly used his shadow to restrain her.
Tanjiro held Nezuko, anxiously asking.
"Nezuko, are you alright? Are you alright?"
In Tanjiro's arms, Nezuko stopped trembling, finding safety, and fell into a deep sleep.
Ryu Takeno was drawn to the Nichirin sword.
More precisely, not the sword itself, but the energy within it—the power of the sun.
The Demon Slayer Corps' weapons. The blades were made from sunlight-absorbing materials, "Nicchirin Sand Iron" and "Nicchirin Ore," the only weapons that could harm demons, their color varying depending on the user's attributes.
This power could further stimulate his bloodline, accelerating his evolution.
Ryu Takeno drew the energy from the sword, absorbing it. His Shokuryu bloodline surged; a faint light emanated from his eyes.
Depleted of its power, the Nichirin sword changed from light blue to the color of an ordinary katana.
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Feel free to check out my other stories:
> I am Mihawk in One Punch Man
> Frieren: Reincarnated as an Immortal Human
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